Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said he was “cautiously optimistic” about the state’s declining case numbers, and it could essentially be guaranteed Victoria would reach its 70 per cent double-dosed vaccination target three or four days ahead of schedule.
Victoria’s new COVID-19 cases
Victoria recorded 1466 new cases on Tuesday. They are:
- In Melbourne’s northern suburbs, 527 new cases;
- In the south-eastern suburbs, 363;
- In the western suburbs, 387;
- In the eastern suburbs, 69;
- In regional Victoria, 110;
- Another 10 cases.
*Source: Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton
“There are some days where it drops off, there are obviously some weekends where the primary care and pharmacy numbers are not as great, but the state system has been absolutely powering through in terms of daily vaccinations being given in the [30,000] to 40,000 range, so I think that’s reasonably well guaranteed,” Professor Sutton said.
He said if Victoria had reached its case number peak, which was not definitive, the peak for hospitalisations would be in two or three weeks.
Victoria currently has 19,627 active coronavirus cases.
At least 36,383 people received a dose of a COVID-19 vaccine at state-run clinics on Monday.
The eight deaths recorded on Tuesday include a man in his 90s from Hume, a man in his 80s from Moonee Valley, a man in 80s from Monash, a woman in her 70s from Maribyrnong, a woman in her 80s from Whittlesea, a man in his 70s and woman in her 50s from Moreland, and a man in his 40s from Bayside.
Mr Foley confirmed the state government was putting a halt on all non-urgent surgeries from Thursday.
Australia nears 70 per cent fully vaccinated target
Australia is 1.3 million doses away from having 70 per cent of the eligible population aged 16 and over fully vaccinated.
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said that, to date, 82.8 per cent of that age group has had one dose and 63.4 per cent are fully vaccinated.
“That’s just over 1.3 million second doses to get to the 70 per cent mark,” he said. “So Australians are stepping forward in extraordinary numbers on a continuing basis.”
Anyone over the age of 12 can now receive a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine at Victoria’s state-run clinics. Credit:Daniel Pockett
They’ve only been eligible for four weeks, but more than 50 per cent of 12- to 15-year-olds around the country have also stepped forward for a first dose.
“Our 12- to 15-year-olds are now at an extraordinary 53.4 per cent, and that’s in four weeks they’ve achieved that,” Mr Hunt said.
“In terms of vaccine supply, every state and territory has enough to meet all the demand for this week, next week, the week after, the week after that. So, what we’re seeing is huge volumes of supply, capable of meeting all of the demand.”
In Victoria, health officials announced on Monday that all those in the state aged 12 and over, including previously exempt over-60s, would be able to receive the mRNA vaccines Pfizer and Moderna at state-run clinics.
New exposure sites in regional Victoria
Authorities identified several new COVID-19 exposure sites in regional Victoria late on Monday evening.
The Robin Hood Inn at Drouin West in the Baw Baw Shire was declared tier 1 over seven days, from Tuesday, September 28 through to Monday, October 4.
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Lush Barber at Bendigo was listed as a tier-1 site over three days, between Wednesday, October 6, and Friday, October 8, while a salon named Honeyeater in the regional city was declared tier 1 from Tuesday, October 5 through to Thursday, October 7.
There were two new close contact sites in Greater Geelong: BB Chicken and Pub, and Next Level Skirmish in the regional city’s north.
Meanwhile, KingKids Early Learning Centre and Kindergarten at Mooroolbark was declared tier 1 on Monday, October 4 between 8am and 1.30pm.
with Rachel Clun
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Victoria to recruit 1000 overseas health workers as hospitalisation peak looms
Source: Philippines Alive
